System of transferring baggage or freight.



w M WI m No. 872,212. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907. B. H. ALVEY.

SYSTEM OF TRANSPERRING BAGGAGE 0R FREIGHT. APPLICATION IILBD JANA, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

K it

a N A? No. 872,212. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907. B. H. ALVBY. SYSTEM OF TRANSFERRING BAGGAGE 0R FREIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-4. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

um/"fox Witnesses W "No. 872,212. PATENTED Nov. 26, 1907. B. H. ALVEY.

SYSTEM OF TRANSFBRRING BAGGAGE 0R FREIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JANA, 190s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I vwento'c Unease:

Quorum:

"other. There is need of a of the cars of anot UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN HARDIN ALVEY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALVEY- FERGUSON. COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KEN- TUCKY.

SYSTEM OF TRANSFERRING BAGGAGE OB' FREIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 4. 1906. Serial No. 294.591.

Patented. Nov. 26, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. ALvEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State'of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Systems of Transfer'ring Freight, &c., of which the following is a specification.

i This invention relates to a system of transferring baggage or freight whereby all or selected portions of the bag age or freight in any one or all the cars of a train may be transferred to any articular one or more lier train, for example, with no handling thereof other than such as is incident to the loading and unloading of the trucks employed to transport the articles of freight or baggage from one car to the practical system of this kind, and it is the aim of my invention'Tto supply such need. In pursuance of this object, I have, as herein shown, devised asysteirifiwhich comprises an endless track upon-which run the trucks which carr the freight or baggage. This endless trac has one of its sections arranged contiguous to the railway track upon which is to stand a train, any one or more of the cars of which contain freight or baggage to be transferred,

' truck or are to receive freight or bag age, while the other section of the'train is simi arly arranged contiguous to another railwa track upon which is; to stand another train having freight or baggage to be transferred,,as for example to the cars of the first train, or which is to receive freight or baggage from the cars of the first train. Each branch is tapped, at intervals. corresponding, or ap roxlmately so, to I the distance between the oorways of the cars of a train, by lateral branches which are provided vwith adjustable switches or switch rpoints which may be set to divert the om the main track'to the cars or lateral branch which the respectively control, or, when said switch leads to a car which contains no baggage or freight to be transferred and is to receive n'one such, the switch may be set to cause the truck to continue past it on the main track. Belowthe track there is an endless wheeled propelling mechanism and u on the/track there runs the truck ortruc s, and said propelling mechanism and truck have interengaglng parts.

. The construction of the truck and proipelling mechanism is hereinafter set forth and each has advantages for use in the system.

The system is well shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the system, with the trucks omitted, as embodied to transfer baggage or freight around and across a platform from a train on one side of said platform to a train on the other side thereof.

ig. 2 is a detail plan view showing a suitable means for driving the pro eller. Fig.- 3 is a detail view of one of the swltches. F1 4 is a side elevation of one of the trucks an a portion of said propeller. Fig. 5 is a sectional view vertica y through the rear end of the truck, intended particularly to show the preferred means whereby movement of the propeller is transmitted to the truck. Fig. 6 is a section of thesystem taken in the vertical plane of the front end of one of the trucks and looking toward said truck. Fig. 7 is a similar view on the vertical plane of the rear end of said truck, and looking toward the latter: and Figs. 8 and 9 are a plan view and an elevation respectively, of a portion of the propeller. 4

A A and B B designate trains res ecdouble tracks are arranged on opposite sides of a platform C which runs around a freight shed D., Upon said platform and around said shed there is arranged a main track E on, and 5 said track is provided at proper places with double switches'E having suitable adjustable switch. points E leadm to lateral branches E One branch of eac of said switches is adapted to lead the trucks off from the main track to the contiguous lateral branch and the other branch of said switch is intended to lead said trucks to said main track. Thus said trucks may run from any of the cars of the train B for example and be diverted to any of the cars of the train A for example, and in their return be diverted back to any of the cars of said train B. Said track E is preferably composed of U-shaped or grooved rails e having broad surfaces 0 at one side of their respective ig rooves, clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. he rails are preferably sunk flush with the floor of the latform; Traveling around the shed and between the rails of said track is a traveling propellin means F. This propelling means 1s .prefera ly an endless chain, as shown, and

tively on double tracks a, a and b, b, w 'ch.

for the truck, hereinafter described, to runvBJS a. suitable driving means therefor comprises a large gear Gr-arranged contiguous to one of the turns of the propeller and having its teeth'adapted to engage the links of the latter, said gear being fixed in horizontal posi-v tion on a vertical shaft 9 and'provided with crownteeth g which are engaged by a pinion g mounted on one end ofa counter-shaft g whichcountershaft.has at its other end a I 10 pinion g, which is'driven byagear g which fied to adapt it to this system. The pre-,

ferred form thereof is as follows 1 designates a frame of any suitable con- 2Q struction havin atone end a pair of handles 2 by means of w on it may be manually proame which for convenience will be-termed the front end of the same, are stirrups or i han ers 3 which form bearings for the shaft of the front wheels 4, and depending from the other end of said frame are sup orts '5 in the lower ends of which is journaled the axle 6 of the rear wheels 7. Said wheels are flangedto adapt them to the before mention ed track E and the switches thereof, and particular attention is called to the fact that the flanges 8 of the front wheels are suflieiently'broadto enable the truck to be over other .surfacesthan upon the track aforesaid, without cutting into'said surfaces.

. The truck is provided with" a suitable means adapted to be engaged byv the travel lng propellerfor imparting the movement of 4a the latter to said truck. This means preferably consists of anarm or plate 9 adapted to be adfusteddownward, by hand or otherwise, into t e ath of said traveling propeller when the true is to be propelled thereby and adj'usted upward-so as. to be out or theway when the truck is to be manually propelled.

To adapt it to the adjustments mentioned, said arm or plate 9 is preferably pivotally supportedand the axle 5 of the'rear wheels may be utilized as the support'upon which the arm is mounted to turn pivotally. In order to hold said arm or plate in its operative positlon, a stop is provided to resist the tendency of the traveling propeller to turn it pivotally. Said stop preferably comprises a plate 10 suitably fixed to the rear cross bar 1 1 of the truck frame and having a depending port1on-12whichis arranged rearward of the armor plate 9 and in position to engage the rear side'or edge of the upper free end of the me and to hold said arm or plate against ovement rearward beyond the limits which ould cause its lower end properlyto engage or be engaged by the traveling pro eller.

For the purpose of imparting t e moveelled. Depending from that end of the pelled thereby automation, ly to-the car to be i loaded at which place and by the proper setting of I again diverted from the main track and and returned to the main track. and again picked up by said propeller and transferred 1 are adapted to grooved rails and may also be ment of the traveling propeller F to the trucks, each link, or any'desired numberof links 13 of the-propeller are prefe'rablyprovided with lugs orprojections,13 which rise f therefrom into pos1t1on to'engage the arm or plate 9 of the truck on the main'track E but terminate approximately in theplane of the upper surface of the floor of the platform: that is to say, the donot roject appreciably above said oor, "and enoe they do s not interfere with the movements of persons, or trucks, or other objectsfacross or upon the v ropeller F.

said floor, which is intended to be hereby meant. it To support the traveling" propeller against dragging and to vmaintain its lugs 13 in pro er position to engage the arms or plates 9 o the truoksfas well as'to reduce the power required to operate the propellen, the latter is mounted on wheels 14. These wheels are journaled in bearings 16 which are fixed to and depend from those links of said propeller which are also provided with said lugs; and they run in a grooved track '15, or channel iron arranged below said propeller. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that'the operation of the system is as follows Assum1n'g that it is intended totransfer baggage from the cars of train A to the'cars of train B, and that'the trucks are disengaged from the propeller and the switch 1 points E of the switches E are properly set; a

:' truck is wheeled onto the track E withits j arm or. plate 9 lowered into operative position, and said truck is picked up bya projection 13 of the propeller F, which latter,' it is. assumed is traveling'in the direction of the arrows. The empty truck is thus propelled by said }propeller until. it reaches the first switohw ich is set todivertit, and it is then diverted from said propeller and-by the momentum which has been ..imparted to it by the propeller, it travels to and uponthe lateral branch E which communicates with said diverting switch and leads to the door of the car to be unloaded. It is then loade'dby the attendant and moved sufficiently to return it to the 'main track when it isirnmediatelypicked up by the ropeller and prothe switch leading to said car, it is freed from the propeller. It is now unloaded -Meanwhile other trucks are, it is assumed,

being loaded and transferred from one car or train .to the other: all without anyhandling whatever of thetrucks between the loading and unloading places. Moreover, as the trucks have wheels with broad flanges they pushed or pulled alongthe platform itself or 1n the car without cutting thewood of the platform or car. This is important as it enables said trucks to be used in the ordinary hand-propelled manner, when desired; and to further enable the truck to be used in such manner, its arms or plates 9 are adapted as hereinbefore stated to be adjusted to be out of the way of such use. Moreover, as the tracks are sunk to the level of the platform and the-propelling mechanism is arranged beneath said-platform, they do not interfere with the free use of said platform for walking or' other purposes. When propelling the truck by hand, it may be run on the two.-

. to any place desired and to which the switches have been setto deliver it and it will be eqkiiially obvious that switches and lateral or oter tracks may tap the main track at any place to or from which it is desired'to transfer freight or other goods, either, in or out-- side of a warehouse orother buildings, or to or from cars, for examples.

Having thus described the invention what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1.. A system of conveying freight or baggage from the cars of one train to the cars of a different train, consisting of an endless track having one of its sections adjacent to one train and another section adjacent to the other train, and each of said sections tapped,

at intervals, approximately corresponding to j the distance between doorways of cars, with switches which lead to said doorways and are provided with adjustable points adapted to 0 set to divert trucks from said sections to said doorways, an endless traveling propelling mechanism and a truck adapted to travel on said track and to be propelled by said propellin mechanism.

2. system of conveyihg freight or'baggage from the cars of one train to the cars of a difierent train, consisting of an endless track having one of its sections adjacent to one train and another section adjacent to the other .train,.and each of said sections tapped,

at intervals approximately corresponding to thedistance between doorways of cars, with switches which lead to said doorways and are provided with adjustable points adapted to e set to divert trucks from said sections to said doorways, an endless traveling propel.

ling mechanism arranged below the track and mounted upon wheels, and a truck adapted to traveljon said track and to be propelled by said propelling mechanism.

3. Asystem of conveying freight or baggage from the cars of one trainto the ears of a difierent tram, consisting of an endless track havin one of its sections adjacent to one train anil another section adjacent to the othertrain, and each of said sections tapped,

atintervals approximately corresponding to the distance between doorways of cars, with switches which lead to said doorways and are provided with adjustable points adapted to be set to divert trucks from said sections to said doorways, an endless traveling propellin mechanism arranged below the track anr mounted upon wheels, and a truck adapted to travel on said track and to be propelled by said propelling mechanism, said truck having a dependingv arm to be engaged by the propelling mechanism.

4. A system of conveying freight-or baggage from the cars of one train to the cars of a different train, consisting of an endless track having one of its sectionsadjacent to; one train and another section adjacent to the other train, and eac'h oi said sections tapped, at intervals approximately corresponding to the distance between doorways of cars, with switches which lead to said doorways and are provided with adjustable points adapted to e set to divert trucks from said sections to said doorways, an endless traveling propelling mechanism arranged below the track and mounted upon wheels, and a. truck adapted to travel on said track and to be propelled by said propelling mechanism, said truck having a depending pivoted arm to be engaged by the propelling mechanism and a stop to engage the arm.

A system of conveying freight or baggage, comprising an endless track tapped at intervals by switches having ad ustablepoints, a baggage or freight truck adapted to travel on the track, and an endless traveling propelling means arranged below the track and provided at intervals with-links which are mounted upon carrying wheels and have upward projections respectively adapted to 1 10 engage the truck.

6. Asystem of conveying frei ht or baggage, comprising an endless trac tapped at intervals by switches having adjustable points, a baggage or freight truck adapted to I travel on the track and provided with a iv- -oted depending arm and with a stop-p ate which engages said arm, and an endless traveling propellin means for the truck, ar

ranged below t 1e track and provided at intervals with links which aremounted upon carrying wheels and have upward projections respectively adapted to engage said do? pending arm.

7. A system, of conveying freight or gage, comprising an endless grooved trad ii which is tapped at intervals by switches'having adjustable points, a hand truck adapted to travel on said track and having its wheels provided with broad flanges whereby it may 130 surface, and an endless traveling propellin means. adapted to propel the truck on saiil trac'k,-said truck and. propelling means having readily disconnectible parts adapted to engage each other for transmitting movement from the latter to the former.

e 8., In combination with afloor, an'endless grooved track set therein and having its upper surface approximately flush therewith, said track tapped at intervals by switches having adjustable points, a hand truck havingvvheels the treads of which are adapted to run in thevgroove'd track and are broad to adapt them also to run on said floor, and an endless traveling propelling means adapted to propel the truck on said track, said. truck and propelling means having readily disconnectible'parts adapted to engage each other for transmitting movement from the latter to the former.

9. In combination with a floor, an endless grooved track set therein and having its upper surface approximately flush therewith,

said track tapped at intervals by switches having adjustable points, a hand truck having wheels the treads of which are adapted to run in the grooved track and are broad to adapt them also to run on said floor, and an 'tively adapted to engage a truck and terminating approximately in the plane of the floor. 10. In a system of conveying freight or baggage, an endless track, an endless traveling propellin means adjacent thereto, means for driving the latter, comprising a gear arranged contiguous to one of the turns of the propelling means and having teeth to engage the latter and also having crown teeth, a pinion to engage said crown teeth, a source of power and connections between the latter and the pinion.

, In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

BENJAMIN HARDIN ALVEY. 

